Draw Near to God

J.J. Stark

May 10, 2016

Field Time: Browning, MT

IGNITE CLASS 10

Inductive Bible Study (IBS)

Draw Near to God

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” – James 4:8 (NKJV)

This letter written to the scattered Israelite tribes is boldly penned by James in a manner only seen when a man is drawn near to God and abiding in His presence.  These words wield their cutting edge today just as much as they did then. I am struck to my core by James’s reprimand, “…Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”  Even as I write this I am convicted of having unclean hands, an impure heart, and constantly double-minded!  To draw near to God, the Holiest of Holies, the all-powerful, yet my ever-loving Creator and Master, remains not only a daily, but hourly challenge. 

This strife, whether with others or myself, seems to always be present.  Often it is due (not surprisingly) to my pride, a mindset believing I am able to handle things myself and that my way is best. Coincidentally, this is the exact context from which James 4:7-10 comes.  James asks the question in 4:1 – “Where do wars and fights come from among you?  Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?”  I know my heart and mind are regularly warring with each other.  This now leads to James 4:7,8, & 10 – “⁷Therefore submit to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  ⁸Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded…¹⁰Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”  A pattern for oneself to return to communion with Christ stands out: submit, draw near, and humble.

The apostle Peter also discusses this 1 Peter 5:5-11, saying, “⁵Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders.  Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”’” He comes from the same angle as James – lay down pride and the Lord removes strife; he reinforces this showing that submission honoring the Lord is manifested in submission to others. 

Peter continues, “⁶Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, ⁷casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”  What a reassurance!  Yes, this is easier said than done, but just as it says in Hebrews 4:11-16, if I am “diligent to enter that rest,” I am then able to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that ‘I’ may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  This is the cleansing of hands and the purifying of heart, me, a double-minded sinner. 

Application:  I will work at being submissive to the Lord by daily putting aside my own agenda, being ready for what may be asked by those over and around me.  This evening I will write several times in my journal as a prayer 1 Peter 5:10-11; “¹⁰But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, and strengthen, and settle you.  ¹¹To Him be the Glory and the dominion forever and ever.  Amen.”